Dr. Rod Mabry, who led the University of Texas at Tyler for more than 18 years before retiring, and his wife Merle, received the East Texas Area Council of Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award at a luncheon on Thursday.

“The Good Turn Award was inspired by Scouting,” said Dewayne Stephens, CEO of the East Texas Area Council.”What Scouting does is encourage selflessness. As our founder, Lord Baden-Powell said, ‘Educate a boy out of the groove of selfishness. Once he has become charitable, he is well on his way out of this habit.'”

The Mabrys and past recipients of the Good Turn Award “exemplify the principle of do a good turn daily,” he said.

Dr. Mabry and his wife came to UT Tyler in 1998, when he was named president of the then-two year university. But the University of Texas system acknowledged that it hired a team, and bestowed upon Mrs. Mabry the title “Associate to the President.”

Both have been active on civic boards throughout their time in East Texas.